Flagler County holds first-round interviews for county administrator; beach funding emerges as top priority

Flagler County commissioners spent Aug. 10 interviewing candidates to replace their interim county administrator, focusing repeated questions on capital projects, coastal resiliency and fiscal stewardship. HR director Charlie Bacano told candidates the process will pare the field to a shortlist this afternoon and that finalists will face background checks before the board returns to make further decisions.

Commissioners framed the beach as their central concern. "We have a new coastal engineer on staff that we're going to help lead us through that update to our coastal management plan," Commissioner Andy Dance said when pressing candidates about capital-project experience. Several applicants said they would create or publish dashboards to show progress on capital projects and prioritize a five-year capital improvement plan tied to funding options, including grants and legislative appropriations. "I've brought in over a $100 million in grants over my career," candidate Rich Reid said, calling grant pursuit a critical tool to reduce dependence on ad valorem and sales taxes.

The board repeatedly asked how candidates would work with five elected commissioners and constitutional officers. Candidates emphasized one-on-one briefings, transparent weekly updates and consensus-building. Tracy Miller, a candidate with experience in strategic planning and performance management, said she would ensure plans are actionable and reported on frequently. The commissioners said they expect a finalist to arrive ready to move on near-term priorities: a funded beach-management plan, revisiting the county strategic plan and preparing for an anticipated 10% budgeting exercise tied to state-level actions. HR confirmed the board plans to create a shortlist this afternoon and complete background checks on advancing candidates.